Man indicted after stealing $128,000 from dead mother’s NYCERS pension

A 51-year-old New York City man has been indicted for allegedly stealing more than $128,000 in pension benefits by continuing to collect payments intended for his mother for nearly two years after her death, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata announced Sept. 23.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Yakik Rumley allegedly deposited 20 pension checks issued through the NYC Employees’ Retirement System between September 2023 and April 2025. The checks totaled $128,142.12 and were allegedly deposited into his personal accounts even though he was not entitled to the benefits.

Prosecutors claim Rumley took additional steps to conceal the scheme. He allegedly submitted forms to NYCERS while posing as his deceased mother and forged her signature on pension checks.

In March 2025, he allegedly requested that a check be reissued after claiming it had been lost. Three months later, he allegedly falsely verified that his mother was still alive.

“As alleged, Yakik Rumley went to great lengths to fraudulently collect his deceased mother’s pension benefits,” Bragg said, including by “impersonating her voice on multiple calls to NYCERS.” According to prosecutors, he contacted the agency’s customer service call center 15 times and often allegedly attempted to imitate his mother’s voice.

Bragg said city employees “work hard and deserve to know their savings are safeguarded,” while thanking the Department of Investigation for its work protecting the pension system.

Shihata also denounced Rumley’s deceit in forging his mother’s signature and impersonating her over the phone to obtain more than $128,000 in pension funds. “Exploiting the City pension system for personal gain undermines the system’s integrity,” she said, adding that the alleged conduct “drains essential funds meant to support City workers who served the public.”

Rumley faces charges including second-degree grand larceny, first-degree identity theft, criminal possession of a forged instrument, offering a false instrument for filing and first-degree falsifying business records.

The investigation was conducted by DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for NYCERS. Investigators worked with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after NYCERS referred the matter to DOI.